El Dorado Search & Rescue (ESARC) Organization | Meetings | Board of Directors The El Dorado Search & Rescue Council, or ESARC, is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to support the El Dorado County Sheriff's volunteer search and rescue team. ESARC fulfills its mission through: Fundraising Asset Management Advanced Training Equipment Special Projects Relations with other SAR groups Public Education Public Service TOP Organization ESARC's officers and board are all SAR volunteers. Each SAR unit is represented at ESARC by two representatives. These twelve representatives serve as ESARC's Board of Directors. SAR members who would like to focus on certain issues may form Focused Interest Groups. FIG members do research, discuss issues and advise the Board, but do not vote. ESARC is a non-profit (i.e., "501c(3)") corporation. TOP Meetings ESARC has a regular monthly meeting at 6:30 on the fourth Monday of every month at the ESARC Lodge in Cedar Grove. MAP . 2008 Board of Directors President:   Ruth Pietrowski Vice President:   Gary Kring Secretary:   Carol Shapiro Financial Secretary: Karen Gilman Treasurer:   Randy Hackbarth VP Properties:   Cindy Honn TOP 2008 Committees ESARC Directory:   Jill Rubin EDSAR E-mail Lists:   Paul Duer Medical Officer: Jim Swanson Website Chairman: Roan White Uniform Officer Bill Clawson Sunshine: Chris Cunningham Fundraising ESARC holds one major fund-raiser each year: Crab Feed (click for the 2008 flyer) - Our Annual Crab Feed is held at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds the second Saturday in January. Tickets can be purchased in advance by contacting Randy Hackbarth. For more information, contact Linda Colombo. ESARC also receives donations from: The Run On The Sly - A competition for Ultra Runners and for walkers. There are several courses through the Sierra foothills, including 50-mile, 50k, 20-mile and 8-mile runs. The race attracts several hundred participants each year. Local volunteers manage and staff every aspect of the race. All the proceeds go to ESARC. Proceeds from the rental of its meeting hall, the ESARC Lodge (not available to the public). These go toward hall upkeep. Donations from people whom SAR has helped. Volunteers appreciate these gifts far beyond their mere dollar value. Donations from the public can be mailed to: El Dorado Search & Rescue PO Box 721 Placerville, CA 95667 Federal Tax ID (FEIN): 68-0097526 ESARC raises approximately $8,000 annually. All ESARC money goes to benefit Search and Rescue. No ESARC member receives a salary. TOP Asset Management ESARC, as a non-profit 501c(3) corporation, can acquire and hold SAR property without tax consequences. For example, when the Cedar Grove Community Center wanted to donate a building to SAR, the transfer went quickly and economically, thanks in part to ESARC's tax-exempt status. ESARC also provides a way for individuals and families to donate directly to SAR. Without ESARC the donations, which are often heartfelt "Thank You" gifts, would legally have to go to the County's general fund. TOP Training ESARC often pays for SAR volunteers to attend fee-based classes and seminars presented by other counties or other agencies. Some examples are: High and low angle rescue Avalanche awareness Man tracking Search management Swift water rescue Team building skills TOP Equipment ESARC owns much of the equipment that El Dorado Sheriff's SAR members use in the field. Examples are radios, GPS units, and even vehicles. ESARC acquires this equipment through donations or outright purchases. ESARC equipment decisions are usually sound ones, because the ESARC Board members who approve equipment today may be using it tomorrow. TOP Special Projects ESARC researches, develops and implements special projects at the request of the SAR units. These projects typically streamline operations or provide new equipment. For example, in 1998, ESARC formed project committees to: Streamline call-out procedures Design and deploy a base camp computer system Acquire the ESARC Lodge building in Cedar Grove Maintain the "Fort SAR" facility. TOP Relations with Other Groups ESARC belongs to Sierra Regional Search and Rescue (SIRSAR), an association of County SAR teams. SIRSAR allows SAR teams to share ideas, goals, strategies and experiences. ESARC is also involved with the California Peace Officers Association, a multifaceted non-profit agency that promotes education. TOP Public Education ESARC offers the Hug-A-Tree program, a wilderness survival presentation, throughout the community at no charge. Several hundred children annually view this hour-long presentation in local schools, Scout troops and churches. We also provide speakers and demonstrations for public service groups, churches and other organizations.